Return to the PIE Home PageA national survey on volunteerism found that nearly half (48%) of the United States population 18 years and older volunteered in 1985, down slightly from 52% volunteering in 1981. As the graph above illustrates, the largest percentage of volunteers worked for religious organizations (19.7% of total). The next largest area of volunteerism was informal volunteering (16.2%), followed by community action organizations (13.4%), education (11.1%) and general fund raisers (9.4%). 6.0% of volunteers worked in the area of social services/welfare.
The primary reasons persons cited for becoming volunteers were: they wanted to do something useful to help others; they had an interest in the work or activity; or they enjoyed doing the work. Although persons of all income and educational ranges volunteered, a greater percentage of people in higher income and educational categories volunteered.
The survey consisted of 1,638 in-home interviews from a national sample of persons 18 years and older.
Activity Area Percent Health 7.7 Education 11.1 Religious organizations 19.7 Social Services and welfare 6.0 Civic, social and fraternal organizations 6.8 Community action 13.4 Justice 0.9 Recreation 8.6 Arts and Culture 3.4 Work related organizations 3.4 Political organizations 3.4 Informal alone 16.2 General fund raisers 9.4 Other < 0.5 Total 100.0
Source: Americans Volunteer 1985, Gallup Polls
Characteristics 1981 1985 Education Grade school 26% 29% Some high school 31% 38% 4 year high school 54% 46% College, less than 4 years 65% 61% College, 4 years or more 75% 65% Income Under $10,000 36% 40% $10,000 - $19,000 49% 42% $20,000 - $29,999 N/A 44% $20,000 - $39,999 64% 52% $30,000 - $39,999 N/A 64% $40,000 - $49,999 N/A 67% $50,000+ 62% 60%
Source: Americans Volunteer 1985, Gallup Polls
Filename: PS-026